General Manager

Position: General Manager – Premium Hospitality / Fine Dining
Location: AABA Lounges, Terminal 8 – JFK Airport, NYC

We are hiring a General Manager to own the full operation of our premium airport lounges. This is the senior on-site leader accountable for standards, people, performance, and guest experience. The role requires judgment, operational discipline, and deep hospitality fluency. Visibility, control, and consistency define success.

About

Sodexo operates multiple lounges at Terminal 8 , serving a high-volume, international travel audience. This role is for the American Airlines & British Airways Joint Lounges,  a large-scale operation built for sustained volume, speed, and consistency while maintaining elevated hospitality standards. The lounge functions as a core access point for guests throughout the day and requires disciplined execution, strong systems, and firm leadership. Success in this environment depends on operational control, staffing precision, and the ability to deliver a reliable, polished guest experience at scale

Core Purpose

Own the business end-to-end. Set and enforce standards. Build leaders. Translate fine-dining rigor into a repeatable, high-performance lounge operation.

Key Responsibilities

• Full P&L ownership: labor, cost controls, forecasting, and financial performance
• Set, implement, and enforce service standards across all lounges
• Lead, hire, train, and develop management teams (floor managers, supervisors)
• Maintain constant floor presence during peak periods; lead by example
• Ensure consistency in guest experience, service recovery, and brand execution
• Oversee scheduling, staffing levels, and productivity aligned with flight volume
• Drive accountability across FOH, bar, and kitchen leadership
• Partner with corporate, airport authorities, and vendors
• Own compliance: DOH, safety, security, and airport regulations
• Lead menu transitions, seasonal changes, and service rollouts
• Identify operational gaps and correct them decisively

Required Background

• Senior management experience in fine dining, luxury hospitality, or premium lounges
• Proven record running high-volume, standards-driven operations
• Strong financial literacy with demonstrated P&L control
• Authority without ego; calm, decisive leadership style
• Ability to operate under sustained pressure and complexity

Leadership Profile

• Clear communicator with high expectations and follow-through
• Builds disciplined teams and develops future leaders
• Emotionally intelligent with staff and guests
• Detail-oriented without losing operational perspective

Additional Strengths

• Advanced wine, spirits, and beverage knowledge
• Experience with international clientele
• Background in multi-unit or complex operations

Environment

• Fast-paced, global audience
• Airport operations with extended hours
• Premium brand with uncompromising standards
• Structured leadership culture with emphasis on balance and sustainability

This role is for a career operator. Someone who understands luxury, controls chaos, and delivers excellence daily through people and systems.